


Burning and Rebuilding (REWRITTEN)

by burner-phone (stifled_genius)



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Brendol Hux's A+ Parenting, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Hux, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sequel, not a slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2019-08-27 17:10:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16706551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stifled_genius/pseuds/burner-phone
Summary: When you're at the bottom, the only way to go is up...(Sequel to Felines and Colliding Forces aka In Which Millicent Brings Them Together)





	1. Chapter 1

A long time ago

in a galaxy far, far away....

The FIRST ORDER’s hierarchy has been completely disrupted. With Snoke dead and Kylo Ren deposed, HALAR REN holds the title of Supreme Leader, bent on bringing absolute rule to the galaxy. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren and former Grand Marshal Armitage Hux have escaped First Order custody in search of the key to Halar’s defeat. While the Supreme Leader’s grip on the First Order tightens, Armitage Hux nurtures newfound FORCE abilities…

_ “The proud son of the Order.” Halar sneered, looming above a captive Hux. The ginger was kneeling handcuffed before Halar, on the steps of the throne room. His head hung down and his usually neat hair hung limply, obscuring his face. “Now a disgrace to the already smeared name of Hux.” _

_ “Armitage!” Kylo screamed as Hux lifted his head. No response. _

_ “Armitage Hux, you are hereby executed for treason against the Supreme Leader and for betraying the Order.” _

_ “No!” _

_ The red lightsaber flashed lit up the darkness, a low hum filling the room. Kylo tried to reach Hux, he had to reach him in time. He had to save him. _

_ The lightsaber hissed, and blood stained the white uniform Hux wore. The ginger’s body was kicked to the side, and Kylo was torn away from the scene, still screaming Hux’s name. _

Kylo sat up, glancing hurriedly across to where Hux should be sleeping. Not his first time having that nightmare, not the only nightmare he’d had. But his heart calmed considerably once he realized Hux was out of any immediate danger, Millie was wrapped around the top of his head. Moonlight from the planets five moons shone through the windows, the layers criss-crossing to form patterns that stretched from the floor to Hux’s pale face.

It had been tense between them since their escape from prison. Hux had become withdrawn, focusing on his mastery of the Force. Without the Order, what were they? What would their lives be? Kylo was left with questions that were going too long without an answer, questions he replayed in his head every night after the nightmares woke him.

Elire was on the balcony tonight, down the end of the hallway. She was wrapped in a light blue robe, blonde hair hanging loosely over her shoulders.

“Nightmares?” She looked up at him, pale blue eyes unblinking. Her gaze still unnerved Kylo at his very core.

“I’m worried they’re visions.” Kylo stared out at the city.

“Perhaps. But the future is volatile.” Elire turned away from the tall, white buildings, wrapping her robe tighter.. “And I will make sure he can protect himself.”

“Wait- how do you know?” Kylo called after her.

“You’re not the only one who has visions.” Elire’s face was expressionless, as she waved the temple door open and stepped back in. Kylo was left alone on the balcony with his overlapping shadows from the moons above.

It made no sense to him. 10 years ago he thought he’d slaughtered Elire in cold blood on the orders of Snoke. He’d thought he’d seen Zara hunched over, holding her dead body, in the most emotion he’d ever seen the other woman possess.

But it had been a trick. A planted memory, from Elire herself. Tiny, helpless Elire, who had been the youngest of all of those he’d brought to Snoke. Delicate Elire, who had escaped that day, on that mountain, flown away by a stolen pod and never seen again.

Elire, who held the title of High Priestess on this remote, untouched Outer Rim planet.

Elire, who had taken Kylo and Hux in without hesitation, despite obvious reasons not to.

Elire, who, on the second day of their stay had revealed herself to be a Grey Jedi.

Hux woke to find Kylo’s bed empty. Not surprising. Dressing quickly, he found the man on the balcony, standing and overlooking the capital city below them.. Kylo had taken to brooding lately, and Hux didn’t know what to do with him.

“Is it nightmares again?” Hux’s eyes scanned the people beginning their mornings below him.

“It’s none of your concern.” Kylo refused to look the at the ginger.

“You need to get them under control.” Hux adjusted his gloves. “Any contact from the girl?”

“None recently. I’m not interested in pursuing it at the moment.”

Silence fell between them. Hux had found in the past weeks that without the constant pressure of ruling the Order together, there was very little for them to talk about.

He felt Elire calling to him, and he left Kylo to his brooding for the day.

“Your mind is troubled today.” Hux opened his eyes to the frowning face of Elire.

“Ren. He is unstable and without structure he is even more unstable.” Hux scowled. “The Order could protect against his temper, barely. And without it-” He didn’t know what else to add that wouldn’t also incriminate him. He and Kylo both were used to giving orders and having them followed, and without the rank and respect garnered from it, a certain void had settled in his chest.

“What is your plan?” She interrupted him.

“Plan?”

“I mean exactly as I say. What is your, or you and Kylo’s plan? Do you plan on staying here together? Or returning to take back the First Order?”

Words formed on Hux’s tongue, only to be washed away by an unfamiliar wave of doubt. Doubts he’d been ignoring since first fleeing Deltira. Too many unanswered questions. What purpose did he hold outside of the Order? Could he even live without the Order? Could him and Ren truly be at peace without it?

“You’re afraid of the future. Of what it could be.” Elire stood, snapping him back into the moment. “We will resume when you can straighten this out. A troubled mind has little effect retaining information.”

Still scowling, Hux was on his feet before she’d even finished her sentence. It had started in the prison cell, and would have to be finished now.

“Ren!” Hux found him easily enough, sitting on the roof of the temple. “We need to talk.”


	2. Chapter 2

_ Three people stood on the side of a mountain, storm clouds filling the sky above. Before she even saw their faces, Zara knew who they were. Thunder rumbled, but not loud enough to drown out Kylo’s yell. _

_ “You betrayed the Supreme Leader!” The younger Kylo stepped forward. _

_ “I did what was right!” Wind tore the hood off of one of the figures, blonde hair spilling out. “The rest of you are just too blind to see!” _

_ Zara felt her heart leap into her throat. _

_ “We have to kill you. For going against your orders.” Gloved hands removed the hood of the other figure. Zara recognized her own coarse black hair, pulled back several braids hanging down past her chin. _

_ Thunder rumbled again, closer this time. Elire’s hands clenched, electricity crackling around them. Kylo and Zara drew lightsabers, the red light intensified by the dark cover of the storm. _

_ “Ben you don’t have to do this! You could stop Snoke, and we’d all be free!” Elire yelled. “Zara! Tell him!” _

_ Then the scene shifted, and Zara was looking straight into the desperate face of the blonde. Elire’s hands were on her arms, pulling the two of them closer. _

_ “Please. I thought we-” She whispered, and Zara knew she was holding back tears. _

_ “Shhhh. We did. Until you went against your orders.” Zara sheathed the lightsaber, her and Elire sinking to the ground. She tried to whisper out of earshot of Kylo. “Elire, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” _

_ That was the first and last time she’d said those words to anyone. _

_ Zara’s grip on the blonde tightened as she watched Kylo plunge the red blade into Elire’s back, quick and clean. Elire’s head dropped onto Zara’s shoulder, her still warm body falling limp in her arms. _

_ She didn’t even scream. It had been virtually painless. Zara pulled Elire off of her, laying her on the ground. _

_ “I’m sorry.” She murmured, smoothing blonde hair out of Elire’s pale face. _

_ “No. I’m sorry.” The body beneath her faded to dust, and suddenly Elire was behind Kylo, her hands placed over his temples. His eyes rolled back into his head and he crumpled to the ground, as Zara jumped to her feet. _

_ “You-” _

_ Elire stretched out her hand, then clenched it. Zara stiffened, unable to move. The blonde approached, a hand reaching for Zara’s neck. _

_ The chain Zara wore around her neck was snatched off, along with the small gold ring it held. Elire tucked the ring in one of her pockets, then pulled up her hood. _

_ “Elire.” Lightning crashed, and their former master appeared next to the woman. “You have to wipe her memory.” _

_ “I know.” Elire murmured, turning back to Zara. There was a searing pain in her head, and she felt herself drop to the ground. Before her vision faded, she watched Luke and Elire begin down the mountain, to a waiting pod. _

Zara’s eyes shot open.

She’d rifled through Novik’s mind when he was arrested, and found the name Elire, but she’d never thought the woman could actually be alive.

But Zara felt more offended that she’d let her memories be tampered with. Elire always had been more powerful than she’d let on.

How powerful had she grown in the past 10 years? A question she pushed to the back of her mind in favor of preparing for the menial day ahead of her.

 

Elire stared over the lake that lay next to the capital city. For the past month she’d been closing in on Zara, curiosity peaked by Kylo’s arrival. She’d found Zara easily enough, her proximity to Halar made it hard for her to hide. The blonde wiped her eyes. She’d been weaker then, but she’d had 10 years to gain strength and wisdom.

And now Zara was aware of her existence, Elire was prepared to face her again.

 

Zara felt her usual boredom creep in as she recited the lines used to recondition soldiers and officers. A repetitive and disengaging job, but since Halar assumed command of the Order, the rate of soldiers sent to reconditioning had increased.

Previously, General Phasma had overseen all stormtrooper related programs, including the reconditioning program, but the conditions of the removal of her counterparts prompted a strong distrust between her and the Knights. This distrust lead Halar to place Zara as supervisor to the General.

“Lieutenant Mitaka,” Phasma read the next name on her datapad, then faltered. “What are you doing here?”

The man didn't look at either of them as he shuffled in. Phasma’s eyes opened just slightly, Zara caught the small movements of the other woman's jaw clenching.

“Lieutenant state your business here.” Zara did not have time for personal conflicts of interest. If he was here, it was for a reason.

“I’m here for the misdemeanor of insubordination.”

Zara clicked her tongue in disapproval and gathered the Force to begin the process of rewiring his mind to be more loyal to the Order.

 

Phasma did not trust any of the knights. Not after how quickly they betrayed Kylo.

Her new leader Halar reminded her of Brendol a little too much, with his heavy handed, dictatorial style of rule. There were two others she knew very little about, as one led their attack on the fronts, and the other had little a job beyond following Zara around. Then there was Zara. A woman she hadn’t trusted since Kylo had told her Snoke’s title for her.

“Master of Minds”, a woman who could get whatever she wanted, manipulate the brain of anyone weak enough to let her in, and alter anything she saw unfit, leaving no trace.

The Knight had been the sniper that had helped Kylo and Hux escape interested her. Phasma had watched his arrest and sentence to prison as soon as he’d hyperjumped back into Order territory. But not before destroying his ship so they couldn’t trace where he’d jumped from.

If her every move wasn’t being closely monitored, Phasma would have visited him in his cell, just to thank him for keeping her boys safe, and ask where they were.

She hadn’t even been able to talk to Cal about anything other than business since Halars coronation. Nothing between them was against Order law, but she knew as soon as they were found out, the Knights would exploit that weakness.

She could only hold onto the hope that Hux and Kylo would return to retake the Order.


	3. Chapter 3

“We have to talk.”

“So let's talk.”

Hux had expected an argument out of instinct, the retort he had planned dying in his throat staring at the calm expression Kylo wore. He gestured and the two of them climbed off the roof and walked into the temple. Hux felt no invasion on his mind from Kylo, no pressing for information. Perhaps he was finally learning to use his words.

“I can still hear you.” Kylo murmured as the two of them walked past the many classrooms of the temple. Elire ran a regular school here for the city's children, regardless of class or status, as well as a school for any child who expressed Force capabilities. There were very few of them that were strong enough to wield the Force, only about 3 or so, but Elire did not trust Kylo or Hux enough to let them near her students.

As if Hux didn't already dislike children.

The two of them entered their shared room, Millicent waiting on Kylo's bed.

“So. The Order.” Hux murmured, a hand running across Millie's chin.

“A problem we've ignored long enough.” Kylo stood against the wall, arms crossed.

“How do we take remove the Knights?” Hux glanced at him. Kylo's hair had been recently cut, going from just above shoulder to chin length. He’d gotten into the habit of letting it hang in his face at an angle that partially obscured the thick white scar tracing from his jaw across his cheek.

“They're too powerful together. We have to separate them. Trap them.”

“Kill them.” Hux finished. “Any damage they do to the Order is easily undone. I want to contact Phasma.”

“Don’t. Her mind has no barriers. If we talk to her, Zara will easily know, find us, and kill her.” Kylo shook his head. “To contact someone in the Order they have to be disposable. Easily manipulated.”

“I can think of several officers.” Hux reached into his pocket for a data pad that was not there, clenching his empty hand briefly. “What of the girl?”

“What about her?”

“Use her. We share a common enemy now. And the Resistance are foolish enough that we can betray them once they get us what we want.” The ginger left Millicent in favor of standing eye to eye with Kylo. Dark hair was pushed back to reveal the crooked scar that split off part of taller mans face.

“We can win. All hope is not lost.” Hux's thumb traced the scar. Kylo's eyes were very dark, and they blinked at the ginger with a foreign emotion Hux couldn't quite name. After a pause, Kylo’s hand snaked around Hux's wrist, pushing the ginger's hand off his face.

But he held onto it for a few seconds too long, silence stretching between the two.

“I'm sure Elire is looking for you.” Kylo murmured, finally letting go of Hux.

“If there is nothing else to say between us, then I will go.” Hux made no movement however, stretching the moment longer. Then his demeanor seemed to shift, and the ginger turned on his heel, leaving Kylo leaning against the wall, staring at where Millicent sat. Rey stared back at him.

  
When she'd first turned around to see Ben, Rey had jumped. But he’d ignored her until Hux was gone, thankfully. She was sure the man hated her with a passion, and the bruise on her back where he'd shot her throbbed in agreement.

“You,” Ben murmured. “You're still alive.”

“Same to you.” Blue eyes scanned him up and down. She hadn't seen him since they'd last “visited” and she'd struggled in vain as Ben and Hux were beaten and taken away. She couldn't reach them in time.

In truth she'd thought they were dead. The First Order had only doubled its presence since Kylo's removal, and it was all the Resistance could do to outrun them. But their conversation in the throne room months ago had replayed in her mind. If she could get him to fight for the Resistance, they stood a chance. And if he wasn’t loyal to the Order, then perhaps-

General Leia wouldn't approve. She thought her son was lost to the dark side. Poe Dameron wouldn't approve, he hated everything that Ben had done. Finn wouldn't even approve. Rey knew he wasn't fond of Ben, but was even less fond of the former general. If Ben tried to keep Hux with him when joining the Resistance, Rey knew the redhead wouldn't make it three days among the them before someone made an attempt on his life.

It would be a tough sell. But one they could win on.

“Rey. Tell me the Order's movements that you've been able to track in the past week or so.” Ben called her to attention, and she entwined her fingers, trying to remember.

“They've gone after the remaining Republic systems. We've kept to Outer Rim planets, but there's frequent raids.” Rey shivered. She's witnessed a raid a couple of days after the Resistance had landed on a remote planet to refuel and repair after Hux was forcefully freed. She'd hidden in an attic, watching the uniformed soldiers in the street below herding the citizens, grabbing any child under the age of 15 they could find, separating men and women in the meantime. “They're taking all the children and most of the men.”

“The Dreadnought.” Kylo muttered.

“The what?” Rey frowned.

“Nothing. How successful at targeting the Republic systems have they been?”

“Partially.” Rey did not want to reveal the Resistance's current location, docked on one of the outermost remaining Republic planets. “There are a few Republic planets remaining strong and holding their own.” She knew now why their signal had been ignored on Crait. Most of the planets that could come to their aid prioritized the safety and freedom of their own citizens.

Ben was deep in contemplation, and she felt the cold that came with the Dark Side raise the hair on her arms.

Her heart rate increased when she realized it wasn't akin to the same raw power he’d hit her with previously. It was focused, sharp, and he glanced at her once more before she blinked and was only looking out the window of the ship.

“Rey, you ok?” Finn was behind her, hand resting on her shoulder. “You were zoned out there for a second.”

“I'm fine. Just meditating that's all.” She offered a smile back.


	4. LINK TIME

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yea my sincerest apologies for the inconvenience

This work is being rewritten HERE:  
https://archiveofourown.org/works/19159348/chapters/45539152


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